Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) urged the Administration (OMB) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Friday to exempt federal season firefighters from President Trump's federal employment freeze.
In a letter to both departments, he noted that the move has stagnated onboarding for thousands of seasonal firefighters.
“This morning we notified that federal employment freezes had stagnated onboarding for thousands of seasonal firefighters,” Schiff wrote in his letter to OMB and the USDA.
“The memo issued on January 20th states that it does not apply to positions relating to public safety, but this delay in onboarding is directly in opposition to that claim,” he continued.
Schiff added that his constituents and communities “rely rely on the efforts and sacrifices of federal wild firefighters during the seasons of over 15,000 people each year.”
The senator said he was “watched” that federal firefighters were not exempt from hiring.
“In light of this, I am requesting information from your agency that explains why federal employment freezes have expanded to seasonal federal wild firefighters employment,” he said. .
Schiff also said how the freeze will affect applicants for federal firefighters, the number of voluntary resignations, and the involvement of high-tech billionaire Elon Musk, as well as recruitment of federal wild firefighters; Requested information regarding the involvement of government efficiency in training or preparation.
Last month, the Trump administration's federal employment freeze stopped onboarding thousands of seasonal federal firefighters.
NBC It has been reported Some of these firefighters are from agencies summoned to help fight catastrophic fires in the Los Angeles area, and there could be a shortage of firefighters ahead of the upcoming fire season.
Land Management officials have told NBC that Trump's Jan. 20 executive order does not apply to positions related to “public safety” but federal firefighters are not exempt He said.
